Mo Hurst undecided about playing in the Outback bowl
Baumgardner just tweeted that Mo Hurst isnt sure if he will play in the bowl game and will discuss it with his family before making a final decision. I, for one, will not blame him one bit if he chooses to sit out. The man has given everything to this university and Jake Butt showed how that can backfire last year. Go make your millions Mo!
https://twitter.com/nickbaumgardner/status/938835026422231041
One other interesting tidbit is his quote on the potential transfers: "In football it's best not to let your feelings get hurt. The best players will play, that's how it goes".
https://twitter.com/nickbaumgardner/status/938836517069508611
December 7th, 2017 at 1:51 PM ^
Mr. Hurst is, according to the NCAA, an amateur. So he is under no obligation whatsoever to play in any given game. He is not being compensated, he is playing for the love ("amatorem" = lover) of playing.
So if he no longer loves the idea of playing, he is entirely within his rights to not play. And good for him. I'm curious to see what happens when an entire team decides they don't want to play. That day might not be far away.
December 7th, 2017 at 1:56 PM ^
+1 for amatorem = lover knowledge. I did not know the origin of amateur, but now I do.
December 7th, 2017 at 2:33 PM ^
Actually he is being compensated. The value of a full ride scholarship - pays his tuition, room and board. Perhaps other benefits as well.
December 7th, 2017 at 2:57 PM ^
Tell that to the NCAA and to the University of Michigan, who both claim that he is an amateur athlete, competing for the love of the game and not for any material reasons:
http://www.ncaa.org/amateurism
Also, from the NCAA Manual (Section 2.9): "Student-athletes shall be amateurs in an intercollegiate sport, and their participation should be motivated primarily by education and by the physical, mental and social benefits to be derived. Student participation in intercollegiate athletics is an avocation, and student-athletes should be protected from exploitation by professional and commercial enterprises. "
December 7th, 2017 at 1:51 PM ^
both the Outback Bowl and the Senior Bowl. I mean his senior film says it all, no need to risk Butt's fate. Get ready for the Combine and UM's Pro Day, put up great workout stats plus his senior film is enough. NFL teams will get not taking the risk and probably consider it a smart move. Plus, time to pass the torch to his backups. Go get the money Mo !!!
December 7th, 2017 at 1:51 PM ^
He should sit out for his own sake. He should sit out for Michigan's sake as well. Michigan getting another 1st round pick helps more than his 1 Outback bowl game performance in my opinion.
December 7th, 2017 at 1:53 PM ^
I am alright with it BUT isn't he supposed to be the leader of this team? What message does that send to your teammates that you are not going to go to battle with them one last time. Being a team Captain, it would be a bad message to send by sitting out and watching from the sidelines.
December 7th, 2017 at 1:54 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 2:00 PM ^
You are right. I thought he was team captain, but McCray is. My fault.
December 7th, 2017 at 1:55 PM ^
If this same situation happened at say, Ole Miss, all the posters would be yelling about "LOYALTY!" and "Where's his love for the game!" The Michigan difference.
Mo gave us more than we could possibly ask, and probably should have gone pro last year. Stay healthy man.
December 7th, 2017 at 1:56 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 1:56 PM ^
I get why he would do it, and it's easy for me to say "just play!" but man, I really don't like this trend.
December 7th, 2017 at 2:10 PM ^
bowl games dont matter. If it mattered they wouldnt sit out. Its not that much different than NFL players who drop out of the pro bowl.
Not sure why this "trend" would upset you. Were you really excited to see the 1 NFL guy on Memphis play in the Music City bowl?
December 7th, 2017 at 1:57 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 2:18 PM ^
Outback Bowl attendees pay so they can watch him.
Senior Bowl attendees watch so they can pay him.
December 7th, 2017 at 1:57 PM ^
If we're in the playoff, I want him to play. But we're not.
Angry old guys everywhere will shake their fists at the sky and complain. And I get a little of that. Nonetheless, he balled when it counted. Here's to hoping he keeps on eating dudes at the next level.
December 7th, 2017 at 2:05 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 1:58 PM ^
I'm cool if he sits this one out. I think maybe he should.
December 7th, 2017 at 1:59 PM ^
Just go in for one play, decapitate a South Carolina RB so we will have a new highlight clip for the media to obsess over, then call it a day.
December 7th, 2017 at 2:55 PM ^
But it's critical that he be:
1) completely unblocked
2) at least ninety pounds heavier than the man he hits
December 7th, 2017 at 1:59 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 2:01 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 2:04 PM ^
not worth the risk.
December 7th, 2017 at 2:06 PM ^
The worst part of all of this is now if you don't agree with players skipping bowls, you get blasted.
I would play. The Outback has no national impact, but guess what? It never has. You know what else didn't have any impact on the national scene or Big Ten standings? The Ohio State game. Why not skip that, too? And really, Wisconsin for that matter. In fact, once you're mathematically eliminated, just go ahead and shut it down. After all, it's not like this is about The Team, The Team, The Team or something.
Further, I'm trying to figure out why ANY Senior would play in this bowl game. What does Henry Poggi have to gain by bashing his head into SC linebackers in this meaningless bowl game? Advanced CTE? No thanks. Shut it down. What about Garrett Moores or any other unheralded Senior, scholarship or otherwise? Why risk a knee ligament when you have no future playing this game? Shut it down. I wouldn't even practice if I were them.
Juniors, too. Or really anybody worth a crap. We should sit Gary, Hudson, Bush, Long, Hill, DPJ, Peters... Why risk their health? This game is meaningless. Do you not want them available next season?
Let's just send out a rag-tag group of walk-ons. This is a football team, after all. The last thing we want is these guys risking injury by actually playing football.
December 7th, 2017 at 2:14 PM ^
Ramblings of a madman
December 7th, 2017 at 2:24 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 2:34 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 2:49 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 2:59 PM ^
Clowney missed a few games his Junior year, but he played, including the Capital One Bowl.
Funny you bring that up, though. Because Jadeveon Clowney was able to perform at a subpar level his Junior year because he, um...
MADE HIS ENTIRE COLLEGE CAREER WITH ONE PLAY IN THE MEANINGLESS OUTBACK BOWL!
December 7th, 2017 at 3:05 PM ^
Spoken like a guy who has NO money on the line as Hurst does. Sounds good as a pep talk but not as a career decision.
December 7th, 2017 at 3:34 PM ^
(Edited - I think my point is made)
December 7th, 2017 at 2:09 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 2:09 PM ^
Honestly if I were him I would totally sit out too. Although it's a selfish decision but he literally has nothing to gain for himself by playing in this game besides risking injury
December 7th, 2017 at 2:10 PM ^
It is in Mo's best interest to sit. Coach up the youngsters from the sideline.
December 7th, 2017 at 2:10 PM ^
The worst thing to happen in this game would be to see Mo go down with a serious injury. If he does play, I hope he gets a serious insurance plan a la Butt last year.
December 7th, 2017 at 2:11 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 2:13 PM ^
If you are an NFL level senior there is absolutely no good reason to play in a non-playoff bowl game.
December 7th, 2017 at 2:23 PM ^
This remains true if you simply say: "If you are a football player there is absolutely no reason to play in a bowl game."
Honestly, what does it matter if it's the CFP or not? And what does it matter if you're going high in the NFL draft?
I'm not trying to be a jerk. As fans, WE feel like the Outback Bowl is meaningless and the CFP or Rose Bowl is VERY IMPORTANT. But they're not. They're college accomplishments that pay $0. If a player's concern is his health and future earnings, none of this matters. We're creating a ficitional line in the sand where this side of the line is okay, but that side is not because it's "important". That line is fiction. Bowls either matter or they don't. All bowls. For all players - regardless of talent.
December 7th, 2017 at 2:38 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 2:50 PM ^
I think it's a fair point (albeit an extreme exception to the rule), but I don't understand how Vince's Rose Bowl performance has kept him from bankruptcy. You're not a liar, just looking for details.
For what it's worth, Jadeveon Clowney disagrees that the Outback Bowl is not a "legacy-type game".
December 7th, 2017 at 3:01 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 4:08 PM ^
By battling through numerous injuries despite starting the season as a Heisman contender, finishing the season and playing against Wisconsin in the meaningless Capital One Bowl before entering the draft as a projected top-5 pick.
Thanks for making my point, I guess?
(I just noticed you're the same one that said this above. You realize Clowney played as a Junior, right? He talked about sitting out, but he didn't. He both opened the season and played in their bowl. He played in 11 games total as a Junior before going pro. Not sure what you think happened.)
December 7th, 2017 at 5:04 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 2:56 PM ^
Big Ten Titles, Rose Bowls, and National Championships are meaningful to a lot of players, too. And if a particular player doesn’t care, that’s his right! Let him sit then
December 7th, 2017 at 2:15 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 2:15 PM ^
Selfishly I want him to play. But then I remember what happened to Butt last year in the Orange Bowl and think about how much money he lost out on because of that injury. Thankfully he got an insurance policy on himself, but still, he went from a Day 2 guy to a Day 3 guy in one play.
Wouldn't blame Mo for one second if he didn't play. He's a first round talent and there's no need for him to risk a serious injury in an ultimately meaningless bowl game. Unless he really wants one more game with the boys, it may be in his best interest to sit.
December 7th, 2017 at 2:16 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 2:35 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 3:23 PM ^
